Animoji

'Animoji' How Tos

In iOS 11, Apple introduced animated emoji characters called Animoji, which are designed to mimic your facial expressions. In iOS 12, Animoji have grown to encompass Memoji, which are customizable humanoid Animoji characters that you can design to look just like you.
Memoji can do all of the same things that Animoji can, mimicking your facial expressions to allow for cute videos, photos, and interactions with friends and family. In iOS 12, you can also use Memoji and Animoji in photos through the Messages camera and in live FaceTime chats.
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Making a Memoji
Animoji live in the Messages app, so creating a Memoji is also done in Messages.
Open up the Messages app.
Choose a conversation.
Tap on Animoji Messages app from the Messages app bar, which looks like a little monkey.
Scroll all the way to the right until you see the "+" button and tap it.
Customizing Your Memoji
Memoji start out as a blank face, and it's up to you to customize it to look like you. The Memoji interface will open up to a display that lets you choose skin tone to begin with. Tapping buttons and sliders will let you customize features and choose options like freckles or no freckles.
To move on from skin tone to other features, tap the labels at the top, cycling through Hairstyle, Head Shape, Eyes, Brows, Nose & Lips, Ears, Facial Hair, Eyewear, and Headwear.
During this entire process, your Memoji is active so you can see what all of the features look like when animated. Sometimes it will pause when changing a

If you have an iPhone X, you're probably well aware of the Animoji feature within the Messages app, which is designed to let you send cute little animated videos of emoji animals that adopt your facial expressions and voice.
What you might not have known, though, is that Animoji can also be used as simple stickers. You can send a still Animoji image in Messages as a reaction, or use it like other iMessage stickers.
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Sending a Still Animoji
Sending a non-animated Animoji with a custom expression is pretty simple -- you just need to tap.
Open a Messages conversation.
Tap the Messages App Store icon.
Choose Animoji.
Pick your favorite Animoji.
Make an expression.
Rather than tapping the red record button, tap right on the Animoji itself.
Once you've tapped on the Animoji, a still image of the expression you were making will be input into the chat bar, and you can tap on the blue arrow to send it to the person you're conversing with.
Using an Animoji as a Sticker
Animoji can be manipulated like any other sticker, and to do so, you're going to follow the same steps from above.
Open a Messages conversation.
Tap the Messages App Store icon.
Choose Animoji.
Pick your favorite Animoji.
Make an expression.
Instead of tapping, place a finger over the Animoji and drag it up into the Messages field, where it can be placed over any chat bubble, image, or sticker.
While in drag mode, an Animoji behaves like any other sticker. Keep your finger on it and use pinch gestures to make it

'Animoji' Articles

In celebration of World Emoji Day, which takes place tomorrow, Apple today updated its Apple Leadership site to introduce Memoji avatars for all of the key executives listed on the page.
Tim Cook, Angela Ahrendts, Jony Ive, Eddy Cue, Craig Federighi, Luca Maestri, Phil Schiller, and the rest of the leadership team are now represented by Memojis.
Memojis are an iPhone X feature coming in iOS 12. Similar to Animoji, Memoji are humanoid avatars that can be customized and personalized to look just like you with an array of options.
You can choose skin color, hair color, hair style, eye color, eyebrows, nose, features like freckles and facial hair, accessories, and headwear when creating a Memoji.
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Right now, Memoji, like Animoji, are limited to iPhone X, but future devices that include the Face ID camera system will also work with Animoji and Memoji, such as rumored iPad Pro models expected this fall.
To celebrate World Emoji Day, Apple also highlighted the emojis we can expect to see in Unicode 11, which Apple plans to adopt later this year in either iOS 12 or an update to iOS 12.
Upcoming emoji characters include cold face, party face, pleading face, peacock, kangaroo, parrot, and more, along with options for red hair, gray hair, and no

After Apple unveiled Animoji when the iPhone X debuted last September, Samsung introduced its own version, the more human-like and customizable AR Emoji.
Not to be outdone, Apple in iOS 12 introduced Memoji, a new version of Animoji that can be customized to look just like you. Given the similarities between AR Emoji and Memoji, we thought we'd compare the two and give our readers an idea of what to expect when iOS 12 launches this fall.
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Memoji, available in the Messages app and FaceTime on iOS 12, are cartoon-like customizable emoji characters that animate just like Animoji using the TrueDepth camera system in the iPhone X.
Because Animoji and Memoji require Apple's 3D camera capabilities to mimic facial expressions, the feature is limited to the iPhone X. Future devices, including 2018 iPad Pro models and iPhones are rumored to be adopting Face ID though. Samsung's AR Emoji are also limited and available only on Galaxy S9 devices.
Apple's Memoji feature offers up a blank face with a range of customizable options like skin color, hair color, hair style, head shape, eye shape and color, eye brows, nose and lips, ears, and facial hair and freckles.
All of these feature options can be combined to create a range of Memoji with different looks, and you can save dozens of Memoji creations.
While Apple starts you off with a blank face that can be customized to your liking, Samsung's AR Emoji feature has an option to scan your face and automatically create an emoji likeness of you that can then be

Apple today at its WWDC keynote introduced personalized Animoji known as Memoji, a feature coming in iOS 12.
Memojis are highly customizable, with multiple options for skin colors, hairstyles, head shapes, eyes, eyebrows, facial hair, eyewear, and headwear.
Once a Memoji has been created, it can be used just like an Animoji, with the iPhone X's facial recognition sensors mimicking real-time facial expressions and head movements. Starting with iOS 12, that includes wink and tongue detection.
The existing set of Animoji is also expanding to include a ghost, koala, tiger, and tyrannosaurus rex in iOS 12.
Memoji can only be created on the iPhone X, but they can be sent in Messages across most Apple devices. They can also be used in FaceTime video chats, alongside other new camera effects and filters such as "comic book" and "watercolor."
Memoji are similar to Samsung's new AR Emoji, but they also share a similar concept with Bitmoji on

Apple has shared an ad on its main YouTube channel this morning to promote the iPhone X's Animoji feature ahead of Monday's WWDC keynote, which starts at 10.00 a.m. Pacific Time.
Titled "Animoji: Taxi Driver", the one-minute short features three Animoji faces singing along to the track "Citizen Kane" by Korean band HYUKOH.
Bear Face Animoji takes the lead role in the lip synced song, with backing vocals provided by Chicken and Dragon Face, as the disembodied trio travel through a neon-soaked Hong Kong cityscape.
The ad was originally uploaded to Apple's Korean YouTube channel on May 21, but the fact that Apple has chosen to share the video over its international YouTube channel just before WWDC kicks off clearly anticipates one of the new features in iOS 12 that is expected to be previewed at today's keynote.
Apple is said to be planning additional updates to Animoji in iOS 12, with rumors suggesting Apple will add more new characters. Apple is also said to be planning an overhauled Animoji interface and Animoji integration in FaceTime, which would allow users to use Animoji characters during FaceTime calls, perhaps in a karaoke context.
Apple has pulled some features from iOS 12 to focus more attention on performance improvements, bug fixes, and quality, but other features are still expected to debut in iOS 12, and could include multi-person support for AR games, improvements to Do Not Disturb, and more.
MacRumors will be in attendance at the keynote, with live coverage of the event beginning shortly after 8:00 a.m. Pacific Time. Stay tuned to

Apple yesterday shared a new Animoji karaoke ad on its Korean YouTube channel to highlight the newly released "Citizen Kane" single from Korean indie group HYUKOH.
As with previous Animoji karaoke songs Apple has shared, the new spot features Apple's Animoji characters lip syncing to the new song.
HYUKOH's "Citizen Kane" single comes ahead of the planned release of the group's newest album on May 31.
Apple first adopted Animoji karaoke for two ads that were created for the 2018 Grammys, with Apple's characters singing "Redbone" by Childish Gambino and "Stir Fry" from Migos.
Animoji karaoke is a concept that was conceived by iPhone X users back in November of 2017 shortly after the release of the new device. People discovered that Apple's 3D emoji characters that are designed to mimic facial expressions and emotions could be used for lip syncing to songs, and for a short period of time, Animoji karaoke took over the internet.
Animoji are limited to iPhone X users because the front-facing TrueDepth camera is required to create the depth map that's used to animate them with a person's facial expressions, but in the future, Animoji will be available on additional devices. The next-generation iPad Pro, which is rumored to be adopting the TrueDepth camera, is likely to be the next device that will support Animoji.
Since the launch of the iPhone X, Apple has added four new Animoji characters, including the dragon, bear, skull, and lion, two of which are used in the new Animoji karaoke ad.
Apple is planning additional updates to Animoji karaoke in iOS 12,

With its new Galaxy S9 and S9+, Samsung debuted AR Emoji, a feature that mimics Animoji, the animated emoji characters that Apple introduced alongside the iPhone X.
In our latest YouTube video, we compared Samsung's new AR Emoji on the Galaxy S9 to Apple's Animoji on the iPhone X to check out the similarities and differences between the two features.
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Apple's Animoji are enabled through the TrueDepth camera system, which is Apple's 3D facial recognition feature that maps out a user's facial features. The TrueDepth camera analyzes more than 50 muscle movements in different areas of the face for Animoji, detecting movement of the eyebrows, cheeks, chin, eyes, jaw, lips, eyes, and mouth to create super realistic representations of facial expressions.
Samsung's AR Emoji, while similar to Animoji, don't have the same kind of underlying technology powering them, so the facial expressions AR Emoji can replicate are far more rudimentary. While Animoji on the iPhone X can mimic subtle expressions, on the Galaxy S9, AR Emoji have trouble with anything that isn't exaggerated, better recognizing movements like a blink or an open mouth than something more subtle like a wink or an angry face.
There are a limited number of Animoji available, though, and that's where Samsung has Apple beat. There are more AR Emoji character options to work with, and in fact, you can even create a custom Bitmoji-style character modeled after your own face.
Characters can be customized with unique facial features, clothing, skin

Samsung's upcoming Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9 Plus will reportedly copy one of the iPhone X's most popular new features: Animoji.
Korean website ETNews claims the flagship smartphones will have a new 3D emoji function that is "more advanced" than Animoji. Like on the iPhone X, users will be able to choose from various 3D characters, including animals, that mimic facial movements as tracked by the Galaxy S9's facial recognition sensors.
Samsung should reveal the name of its Animoji competitor when the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9 Plus are unveiled at Mobile World Congress on February 25. Many details about the smartphones have already leaked, including entire images of the devices shared by Evan Blass, hinting at many features that can be expected.
While rumors suggest the next major version of Android will include support for smartphones with a so-called notched design, like the iPhone X, it appears that the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9 Plus will retain slim bezels along the top and bottom of the display for the front camera, microphone, and sensors.
3D emojis will be powered by the Galaxy S9's facial recognition system, which is expected to remain less secure than Face ID on the iPhone X. Other biometric options will include a rear fingerprint sensor and an iris scanner.
Samsung is rumored to release the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9 on Friday, March 16, with pre-orders expected to begin about two weeks

Apple's alleged plans to double down on the quality of its iPhone, iPad, and Mac software platforms, rather than rush to introduce new features, have been revealed in more detail by Mark Gurman at Bloomberg News.
The report claims that Apple's software engineers will have more discretion to delay features that aren't as polished, with the company essentially shifting to more of a two-year roadmap for iOS and macOS, rather than trying to release major feature-packed upgrades every single year without question.Instead of keeping engineers on a relentless annual schedule and cramming features into a single update, Apple will start focusing on the next two years of updates for its iPhone and iPad operating system, according to people familiar with the change. The company will continue to update its software annually, but internally engineers will have more discretion to push back features that aren't as polished to the following year.The report describes Apple's new strategy as a "major cultural shift," and an admission that its recent software updates have suffered from an uncharacteristic number of bugs, ranging from a critical root superuser vulnerability on Mac to iMessages appearing in the wrong order across Apple devices.
Apple's commitment to a fast-paced iOS release schedule already led some features to be delayed regardless, including Apple Pay Cash and Messages on iCloud, so the new strategy would likely involve not announcing or testing those features in beta until they are much closer to being ready for public release.
Despite the increased focus on

Apple today previewed iOS 11.3, its next major iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch software update. The first beta has been seeded to developers today, with a public beta coming soon, ahead of an official release this spring.
iOS 11.3 introduces new Animoji on the iPhone X, including a lion, bear, dragon, and skull. There will now be 16 characters to choose from in total, including existing ones like a pig, fox, chicken, pile of poo, and robot.
iOS 11.3 will feature ARKit 1.5. In addition to horizontal surfaces like tables and chairs, Apple's updated augmented reality platform will now be able to recognize and place virtual objects on vertical surfaces like walls and doors, and more accurately map irregularly shaped surfaces like circular tables.
ARKit 1.5 can find and recognize the position of 2D images such as signs, posters, and artwork, and integrate these real-world images into augmented reality experiences, such as bringing a movie poster to life. In addition, the view of the "real world" will now be in 1080p HD, up from 720p currently.
The software update will introduce Business Chat, a new way for users to communicate directly with businesses within the Messages app. This feature will launch in beta following the public release of iOS 11.3 this spring, with support from select businesses, including Discover, Hilton, Lowe's, and Wells Fargo.
With Business Chat, it's easy to have a conversation with a service representative, schedule an appointment or make purchases using Apple Pay in the Messages app. Business Chat doesn’t share the user’s contact

With the year quickly drawing to a close, now is an opportune time to reflect on the biggest Apple rumors and leaks of 2017.
Many new products released by Apple this year were widely rumored in the months leading up to their introductions, including the iPhone X, iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus, Apple Watch Series 3, Apple TV 4K, HomePod, and new iPads. We even had an advanced look at software features like Animoji.
2017 was a particularly interesting year for Apple rumors given leaked or prematurely released versions of iOS 11 and HomePod firmware contained references to several products that had yet to be announced. While not every rumor proved true, much of Apple's roadmap this year was revealed ahead of time.
We've rounded up some of the most notable rumors and leaks of the year, primarily focusing on information that proved to be accurate.
2017 in Rumors
iPhone X
iPhone X is so radically different that rumors about the device began to surface all the way back in early 2016, so we'll start with a primer.
The first report about Apple's plans to release a high-end iPhone with an OLED display this year came from Japan's Nikkei Asian Review in March 2016, roughly a year and a half before the iPhone X was unveiled.
In the same month, DigiTimes revealed the device would have a 5.8-inch display, and KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said it would have glass on both the front and back sides, a metal frame, wireless charging, and facial or iris recognition.
By April 2016, the device was being called the iPhone 8. Barclays analyst Mark Moskowitz said it woul

An animated cat, fox, pig, and rooster singing Bohemian Rhapsody is the epitome of a new social media phenomenon dubbed Animoji Karaoke.
Over the past week, both reviewers and customers lucky enough to have the iPhone X in their hands have shared fun, humorous videos of Animoji in action, ranging from goofy voiceovers to full-out music videos.
Animoji, for those unaware, are custom animated characters that use your voice and mirror your facial expressions captured by the iPhone X's new TrueDepth camera system. You can even record yourself as a Pile of Poo.
And then we proceeded to waste half our day. #animojikaraoke #iphonex #queen #bohemianrapsody #carriedaway pic.twitter.com/4TBBg6qQKS— Mia Harrison (@ManxomeMia) November 4, 2017
iPhone X users can create Animoji recordings up to 10 seconds long in the Messages app, but the internet discovered that iOS 11's new screen recording feature allows for much lengthier clips. Enter Animoji Karaoke.
The idea was conceived by technology reporter Harry McCracken, who decided it might be fun to lip-sync a song and have an Animoji character mimic his performance. From there, similar videos have spread on social media.
To create your own Animoji Karaoke, play a song loudly enough for it to be picked up by the iPhone X's microphone while lip-syncing. After messaging the Animoji, tap on it, and tap on the iOS share sheet to save it as a video.
A few people have gone a few steps further by stitching together multiple Animoji clips and editing in some other post-production effects.
Animoji might end up being a

Apple is facing a lawsuit for infringing on an existing Animoji trademark, reports The Recorder. Animoji is the name Apple chose for the 3D animated emoji-style characters that will be available on the iPhone X.
The lawsuit [PDF] was filed on Thursday by law firm Susman Godfrey LLP on behalf of Enrique Bonansea, a U.S. citizen living in Japan who owns a company called Emonster k.k. Bonansea says he came up with the name Animoji in 2014 and registered it with the United States Patent and Trademark Office in 2015.
Since 2014, Bonansea has been using the Animoji name for a messaging app available in the iOS App Store. The lawsuit alleges Apple was aware of the Animoji app and attempted to purchase the Animoji trademark ahead of the unveiling of the iPhone X.This is a textbook case of willful, deliberate trademark infringement. With full awareness of Plaintiffs' ANIMOJI mark, Apple decided to take the name and pretend to the world that "Animoji" was original to Apple. Far from it. Apple knew that Plaintiffs have used the ANIMOJI mark to brand a messaging product available for download on Apple's own App Store.
Indeed, Apple offered to buy Plaintiffs' mark but was rebuffed. Instead of using the creativity on which Apple developed its worldwide reputation, Apple simply plucked the name from a developer on its own App Store. Apple could have changed its desired name prior to its announcement when it realized Plaintiffs already used ANIMOJI for their own product. Yet Apple made the conscious decision to try to pilfer the name for itself--regardless of the consequences.Bo

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